OF GUITARS BEING CUT OPEN

We were hopping around on Instagram when we chanced upon Brenton Huang. It’s where we saw guitars being cut open and being used as a form of storage, as a shelf. We knew he was crafty and found out that he also changed old seat covers with a new fabric, and also created a clock with a chopping board and some spare clock parts. He upcycles almost everything but we decided to speak to him more about his Guitar Shelves.

// How did you come up with Guitar Shelves?

Brenton: It was a matter of being at the right place at the right time 🙂 I was having one of my ‘direction-less’ surfing episode when I chanced upon a picture of an up cycled guitar shelf. I instantly love the idea! Coincidentally a few days before that, my colleague was complaining about his mum nagging at him to get rid of his unused guitar. He happily gave me the guitar, his mum stopped nagging and my first up cycled guitar shelf was born!

// What’s the process like?

Brenton: The process begins with me finding an unused guitar to work on. But if someone got their own guitar (just like my friend), they can pass me theirs. The next step will be sawing off the front plate. I have to be extra careful here as any wrong cuts will make the guitar body crack and the whole piece will be destroyed. After the nerve wrecking sawing comes the installation of the shelves and also the customization (e.g. painting, fabric interior, etc) if any. There are of course many fine details within these steps so if you are interested to make your own guitar shelf, I organize guitar shelf making workshops too!

// Any plans to venture into other forms of craftsmanship?

Brenton: I actually make up-cycled ukulele boards as well! I am also planning to launch two new products next year which involves lights, plants, wood slices & time! Stay tuned to my Instagram as I will be posting several clues towards the end of this year 🙂

Read on for some facts about Brenton!

Brenton Huang

Ideal Career // I’ve always wanted to do something related to music! I recalled in my secondary school days where I was asked on what I want to be when I ‘grow up’. My answer was to be a radio dee jay…one that plays rock music…heh. Few years later in polytechnic, I dreamt of opening up my own Jam Studio partly because I was in a band then. Right now, I’m ‘cutting’ guitars so I guess that counts as related to music too right?

Creative Approach // I don’t really have a certain creative approach but I do think that if you are stuck, don’t sit there and keep on thinking. Go out, do something different, get away from your work desk or work site. And DON’T think. Just enjoy the change in environment and somehow the solution will pop into your head. Maybe not immediately but eventually.

Fact // A good portion of my ideas come about when I’m showering…ha!

Message // I don’t like to analyse on a particular idea too much. Mainly because it makes me think of one hundred and one ‘deadly’ scenarios which most of them won’t happen anyway. I will eventually get nothing done for fear of getting it wrong. The truth is, I will get it wrong but I will then have the chance to get it right by getting started. So do stop thinking about the perfect creation and start making it!

FUSSY // I’m fussy about my kopi-o! If possible, I’ll get my caffeine fix from the same coffee shop every morning 😉